A Perfect Beginning, To a Wonderful Life
by knowmefirst
Summary: Harry gets stuck in the Ministry, but he found more than he had ever expect with Draco, the last person he thought he'd see.


For flyingskull. Written for the 2013 Serpentinelion hd-glomp over at livejournal. Beta: by the lovely, eidheann_writes. -All other errors are mine- -

Harry looked around and stretched. He was thankful that he had finally finished all his work and he was ready to leave this hell hole. He was happy that he didn't have to take any work to the flat and could focus on his family and not worry about everything that he still had to finish. He got up from his desk, and with a final look around he picked up his jacket and walked towards the fireplace. He picked up some floo powder and threw it, but after a while he scowled.

"What the hell!"

Harry stood there looking at the flames that were still cheerfully blazing red and not the green that was supposed to be. He groaned when he thought he'd have to take the damn elevator to the main floor and floo from there. He exited his office and closed the door, moving down the darkened and lonely corridor to the elevator. He pushed the bottom and waited. He tapped his foot impatiently. He checked his watch and notice it was almost eleven o'clock. If he didn't make it on time to the Christmas Eve party, Hermione would never forgive him. He pushed the button again, but still nothing. He knew of only one other way to exit the building, but more than one person had gotten lost and he wasn't going to join the list.

He walked back to a door behind the Head Auror's office and pushed in a code. The wall opened and he took out his wand. With a Lumos, he moved forward, turning around at the bang from the door closing. He cursed because he knew that there wasn't a way to exit now all he had to do was move forward and hope he didn't join the damn list of missing people. He could all ready see the bloody headlines. HARRY POTTER, MISSING OR LOST? BY RITA SKEETER. Wouldn't that woman have a field day with something like that? She would probably hound his friends and family. He kept moving forward, but all he could see were walls and more walls, and sometimes he would swear he passed some doors that were illuminated, but when he knocked no one opened.

He looked down at his watch again and noticed that he been wandering around for almost two hours. He would swear that he had just step through the door a few minutes ago, but two hours? Could this part of the Ministry be enchanted with a type of time turner or some kind of time spell. He had to check that out sometime when he wasn't late to a party and Hermione wasn't already mad at him. He came upon another glowing door and knocked; he didn't wait to see if it opened—he knew it wouldn't, but he have been doing that for every door and he didn't want to stop now. He took a few steps when he heard the hinges of the door opening.

Harry looked over his shoulder and noticed someone illuminated by the light from inside the room. He turned back around and moved towards the figure. When he was almost back to him he groaned and then cursed. Only he would end up stuck in the Ministry of Magic on Christmas Eve with Draco-bloody-Malfoy.

"Potter, only you would be stupid enough to take this exit." Draco drawled and turned around.

Harry wanted to stick his tongue out like a little kid, but instead he scowled and moved into the well-lit room. He stopped when he noticed Draco sitting in front of the fireplace and watched silently as the light danced over his face. He moved away from the door without being invited, and sat down in the seat next to Draco's.

"So, why are you still here?" Draco said, turning to look at him.

He replied, "I got stuck here."

Draco laughed, "Only you. Didn't you know that they close the floo at eleven?"

Harry stared, mesmerized at Draco. He had never seen him laugh before—scowl yes, sneer many times, but laugh, never—and he looked beautiful. Now Harry was the one who scowled as the thought flew through his mind. What was wrong with him? Now he knew that the time spent on these hallways had screwed with his mind, because normally he wouldn't find Draco beautiful, he was sure about that.

"Uh, no I didn't know." Harry said, blushing.

"Of course, typical of you, Potter." Draco snickered.

Harry saw Draco got up and moved to the bar that he had on the corner. Draco held the bottle as if asking if he wanted some and he only nodded.

Harry said, "Never mind me. Why are you still here?"

Harry cursed under his breath, he should have kept his mouth shut; he'd forgotten that Draco's parents weren't with him. His father was in Azkaban and his mother was overseas.

"Look Malfoy—"

"Forget it, Potter." Draco said turning back to finish refilling the glasses.

Harry stood up and walked around the area he'd first thought was another suite of offices; he noticed the little touches of personal items and realized it was a private office. He noticed the small picture frame with a family photo that was currently sitting on the desk. He walked towards it and took a closer look and smiled at a little boy that he was sure was Draco. He turned to see where Draco was and found him looking at him.

"Sorry, didn't mean to be nosy." Harry said putting down the picture frame.

Draco moved toward him, and handed him the glass and picked up the photo, "I was six years old here, first snow of the year."

Harry stared at Draco; it was as if in that moment, he saw him for the very first time. He looked down at his watch and notice that it was almost midnight. Harry knew that he was stuck here for the rest of the night. Draco was too, but by the way he acted, it wouldn't be the first time. In that moment, he knew what he had to do to rectified what should have been done 16 years ago. He put down the glass and pulled out his wand, and finding a discarded paperclip, he conjured a lovely Christmas tree. Well not lovely, but it would have to do.

"What are you doing?" Draco came over and stared at the small bent tree.

"Celebrating Christmas Eve." Harry said, transfiguring tiny ornaments from anything he could find.

"Why?" Draco said, as he quietly sorted the ornaments, instead of leaving them in a jumbled mess like Harry had done.

"Because it's Christmas Eve." Harry responded. He turned his head this way and that, "It's not the best we may have seen, but it'll have to do." He smiled at Draco.

"Why?" Draco asked, hanging the last ornament.

"Because," Harry said as looked towards Draco, "You celebrate the Holidays with ifriends/i."

"What? I'm not your friend." Draco said as he turned to look at Harry.

"But you could be." Harry said as he extended his hand, "Hello, I'm Harry."

Slowly, Draco grasped his hand, "Draco."

Harry smiled at Draco and got a smile in return. Maybe they weren't the best of friends, but they had to start somewhere. They sat down in front of the tree and stared at it as it tilted more to the left with the weight of the ornaments.

"Harry." Draco said quietly, putting his glass down on the floor.

"Mmmm?"

"Where is my present?" Draco asked, leaning forward to replace a small red ornament that had fallen.

Harry smiled and turned to Draco, "What?"

Draco smiled at him and sniffed, "Well it is Christmas Eve after all, and everyone gets a present."

Harry laughed so hard that he fell backward—yes everything would be all right with them. Harry wiped his eyes and looked up and Draco, catching the small smile that was playing across his lips.

"Malfoy?"

"Yes."

"You are one of a kind."

"Yes I am, Harry, yes I am."

Harry smiled and received a smile in return. Yes they would be all right. After all, they still had many years ahead of them, and this was the perfect day and moment to start their life. Maybe that was why the floo and everything else wasn't working. Maybe something or someone had wanted Harry to be here—on this day and in this exact moment—with the man he had never given the chance to be his friend.

"Draco?"

"Yes?"

"I promise I'll give you anything you want." Harry said.

It became quiet, their breathing the only sound that could be heard. It was broken a few minutes later by Draco.

"Anything?"

"Anything."

"A kiss." The words were said so quietly, Harry thought he'd misheard.

He turned and looked at Draco. "I thought you would never ask." He whispered and leaned over, meeting Draco's lips half-way.

Yes, this would be a perfect beginning to a wonderful life, he thought and he deepened the kiss. Perfect, indeed.


End file.
